Help me get all I can out of an Indian

• Author: Mozes (---.dsl.pltn13.sbcglobal.net)
• Verified User: meanderer
• Date Posted: 05-16-08 20:53

‘79 Indian(4 stroke), my first ped. Got it running a few months ago and it’s been pretty reliable, save for a spotty spark plug for a day.

I’ve got it going a little over 30, but I think there’s a little more speed to be got, and I’m desperate for some climbing power.

The symptoms I think are costing me:
Runs best at just below WOT. If I fully crank the throttle the engine sound drops an octave, and it suddenly feels like I’m driving through tar.

I’ve got no kill switch, so I turn off the bike with the choke. I was having some fuel overflow problems, and my motorcycle friend suggested I turn off the petcock a few blocks before I’m home. After a long hard ride (downhill for 4 miles, then WOT for another 3), I put it on the stand with the petcock off and the choke on to kill it, and instead, it started really revving hard and speeding up, even though i wasn’t giving it fuel.

It can’t handle a grade more than about 5%. After that it slows to the point that I can pedal assist,(about 7mph), and will start sputtering and backfiring. It also backfires sometimes after I’ve been riding for a bit and try to start off a stop. In fact, if I give too much gas off the line, it dies.

So to summarize, it runs ok, but not great, and if I’m to take a creature ride, I need great.
Thanks all